Revised Common Lectionary (Semicontinuous)

¹ ¶ The LORD reigns; he has clothed himself with majesty; the LORD has clothed himself with strength; he has girded himself: he has established the world also, that it cannot be moved.

² From this time on, thy throne shall never be moved; thou art eternal.

³ The rivers have lifted up, O LORD; the rivers have lifted up their voice; the rivers lift up their waves.

⁴ The LORD on high is mightier than the noise of many waters, yea, than the mighty waves of the sea.

⁵ Thy testimonies are very sure; holiness becomes thy house, O LORD, for ever.

2 ¶ And it came to pass, when the LORD would take Elijah up into heaven by a whirlwind, that Elijah went with Elisha from Gilgal.

² And Elijah said unto Elisha, Tarry here, I pray thee; for the LORD has sent me to Bethel. And Elisha said unto him, As the LORD lives and as thy soul lives, I will not leave thee. So they went down to Bethel.

³ And the sons of the prophets that were at Bethel came forth to Elisha and said unto him, Knowest thou that the LORD will take away thy master from thy head today? And he said, Yes, I know it; be silent.

⁴ And Elijah said unto him again, Elisha, tarry here, for the LORD has sent me to Jericho. And he said, As the LORD lives and as thy soul lives, I will not leave thee. So they came to Jericho.

⁵ And the sons of the prophets that were at Jericho came to Elisha and said unto him, Knowest thou that the LORD will take away thy master from thy head today? And he answered, Yes, I know it; be silent.

⁶ And Elijah said unto him, Tarry, I pray thee, here, for the LORD has sent me to the Jordan. And he said, As the LORD lives and as thy soul lives, I will not leave thee. And thus the two went on.

⁷ And fifty men of the sons of the prophets went and stood in front of them afar off; and the two of them stood by the Jordan.

⁸ And Elijah took his mantle and wrapped it together and smote the waters, and they separated to one side and the other so that they both went over on dry ground.

⁹ ¶ And when they had gone over, Elijah said unto Elisha, Ask what I shall do for thee before I am taken away from thee. And Elisha said, I pray thee, let a double portion of thy spirit be upon me.

¹⁰ And he said, Thou hast asked a difficult thing. If thou shalt see me when I am taken from thee, it shall be so unto thee, but if not, it shall not be so.

¹¹ And it came to pass, as they still went on and talked, that, behold, a chariot of fire with horses of fire separated the two, and Elijah went up into heaven in a whirlwind.

¹² And as Elisha saw it, he cried, My father, my father, the chariot of Israel and the horsemen thereof. And he saw him no more, and he took hold of his own clothes and rent them in two pieces.

2 ¶ And he has made you alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins,

² in which in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the will of the prince of the power of this air, the spirit that now works in the sons of disobedience,

³ among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind and were by nature the children of wrath, even as all the others.

⁴ ¶ But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great charity with which he loved us,

⁵ even as we were dead in sins, he has made us alive together with the Christ (by whose grace ye are saved)

⁶ and has raised us up together and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus,

⁷ That in the ages to come he might show the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.